Beauty and the Beast
by Devoted to Meiko
Summary: What if it had been Kane who had saved Stephanie McMahon from the Black Wedding in 1999 and not Stone Cold? What if Stephanie grew closer to her hero, working as his manager at the ring while he was her bodyguard backstage? Here is my idea of how things would have gone if just a little bit different. [Kane/Stephanie]
1. Chapter 1

**Raw is War: April 26th 1999**

* * *

Kane, the silent monster, stood in one of the corridors of the arena as he watched events unfold on the television screen. His brother, the leader of the Ministry of Darkness, the Undertaker was dressed in one of ceremonial robes, surrounded by the Ministry as they held the daughter of the WWF owner tied to one of his symbols. Kane's father, Paul Bearer, was standing beside them as he read the demonic scriptures that would unite the Undertaker and the woman dressed in a black wedding dress, Stephanie McMahon, in unholy matrimony.

His held tilted to the side as he listened to the young woman's screams for help as Paul read the text from the dark book that would bind the woman to his brother in mind, body, soul and even her breath. Something wasn't right, he could feel it in his bones. He had been raised by these dark scriptures, had seen the unholy union preformed by his father on several occasions. His mismatched eyes widened slightly as Ken Shamrock ran to the ring with a baseball bat, intent on ending the ceremony only to be tackled to the mat before he could really stand and for his brother's servant, Viscera to splash down onto his body, the wooden bat rolling to the Undertaker's feet.

He had to sweep his long hair out of his eyes as the ceremony continued and the Big Show ran down to the ring. If the marriage was ordained by the darker powers, why were so many men trying to stop it? Why was the girl, Stephanie, fighting against her constraints and pleading for help? Was his brother and father forcing the woman into the servitude of the black marriage just because the girl's father, Vince, couldn't get the bald Texan, Stone Cold Steve Austin to bring out the ransom?

This wasn't right, and his black boot clad feet carried him to the gorilla that lead out to the stage. He couldn't let this happen, he couldn't let his father and brother, the men who had abandoned him and destroyed his life to do the same to another human being.

"By the power vested in me by the Lord of Darkness," Paul Bearer began to wrap up the wedding, "I now pronounce you as the Unholy Union of Darkness. You may now kiss your bride!" The over weight funeral director smiled as he watched his son's half brother begin to lower his black hood, his eyes rolled up into his head as the power of Darkness filled the young Master of all things that crawled in the night. However, his glee at performing such a ceremony was quickly snuffed out as the lights in the building shut off.

He couldn't help the feeling of dread fill him as the eerie cries of his own son's music filled the arena before fire erupted from the stage lighting the Undertaker's symbol on fire as a show of power. His fat jaws wobbled as he stepped back, tripping over the bottom most point of the symbol the long haired brunette was strapped to and falling onto his over sized ass at the sight of his monstrous son walking down the ramp. This wasn't supposed to happen, the two brothers weren't supposed to fight like this, not in the middle of one of the dark rituals.

Kane in his full red and black leather made quick work of the lesser Ministry members as he tore through the rankings. The Acolytes Farooq and Bradshaw were beaten away with mere punches while a boot to the face of Viscera sent the five hundred pound man to the steel ramp. An uppercut sent Mideon flying onto his back on top of the downed Viscera, before he slid under the ropes and quickly got to his feet standing toe to toe with his dark brother.

"What the hell are you doing here Kane? You know you aren't involved in this," the Undertaker yelled at his brother and tried to subtly glance about for the baseball bat he had just used on Big Show. His searching eyes cost him though as he didn't see the gloved hand of his brother move until it struck him hard across the jaw, sending him staggering back. His foot caught the hem of his robe and he toppled over, the air driving from his lungs as he fell flat across his down servant.

The big red machine wasted no time in grasping his dark brother by the throat and lifting him to his feet before raising him off the mat entirely and chokeslamming his older sibling to the mat. With ease he turned his masked face to the woman still chained to the symbol and moved quickly to free her, first untying her hands and then letting her unbind her own feet. His attention was stolen at the rustle of robes and turned to watch as his brother rolled out of the ring just as the little bald man slid in.

Kane barely had time to take in the Ministry fleeing up the ramp with his father taking up the rear when he felt a set of arms grab onto his neck. Startled and confused at the sudden weight the seven foot tall monster lowered his gaze to see Stephanie McMahon's long dark hair and the back of her dress and tilted his head to the side in confusion. All his life no one had ever held him in such an embrace and his mismatched eyes turned to see a smirking Stone Cold standing nearby seemingly enjoying his confusion.

"Stephanie," Vince called out as he ran from beside the ramp, sliding into the ring in his grey suit. Stephanie immediately released her one sided hug on the Undertaker's brother and flew into her father's arms, grateful to see the man. The biggest man in the ring turned slightly and watched Stone Cold Steve Austin begin to leave the ring. "Thank you," Vince's voice filled the air just barely audible over the screaming audience and Stone Cold's music, "Thank you both! I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to my little girl."

Behind the mask that obscured his face, Kane back pedaled away from the hugging father and daughter and turned to step out of the ring before a small hand grabbed his own. His head turned to see the young woman in the ring holding his hand and gently seemed to be pulling him.

"Come on, Kane, I'm sure my father would love to thank you," she said with a smile on her face. Why wouldn't she smile after he had just saved her from his own brother and father. She ignored the mammoth of a man's gentle attempts to pull away and tugged him along like an excited teenage girl. "Daddy, I know you said I wasn't ready for the WWF but I have a plan. Would it be alright if I talked to you and Kane backstage?"

"Sure honey, whatever you want," a relieved Vince said with a smile at his daughter and a nervous glance at the big red machine she was holding onto. He held the ropes so that she could climb out between the top and middle rope and followed her to the steps as the man clad in red and black simply flipped himself over the rope to land on his feet.

Inside, Vince McMahon was shaking as he watched his baby girl grab the silent monster's arm and walk with him up the ramp. He really hoped this didn't come back to bite him in the ass.

* * *

"Let me get us started by saying, thank you Kane," Vince said as he sat on his couch hugging his daughter to him. The young girl was still bouncing between being ecstatic at being rescued from the hands of the Ministry of Darkness but also crying over the last twenty four hours and just what she had been forced to endure at the hands of the men who held her. "Even though Austin did come in at the last second it was you who fought off the Undertaker and the Ministry and helped free my daughter, I have the power to give you anything, anything you want just name it."

"Hold on a minute dad, I don't want to get side tracked," Stephanie spoke before the massive mute could ask for what he wanted. "Kane, I want to personally thank you for saving me and I have sort of a request, not just for me but for both of us," she said quickly. "You see, I want to get to know this business better and there is no place better to do so then at ring side. Now, I know the ins and outs of the corporate side of things and with you, daddy and mom helping me, I think me and Kane can help each other out. I-I want to manage Kane's career while having him serve as my bodyguard."

The big red machine had been standing silently near the wall watching the two but his eyes nearly bugged out of his head at the woman's request. He certainly didn't mind the idea of being a bodyguard but having a McMahon in his corner could do a lot for him, much more than his traitorous father had done. Paul had simply wanted him to destroy his brother but he had eventually been betrayed by the man in favor of said brother. Looking from Stephanie who was looking back at him with a simple smile to her father who was chewing his bottom lip he shrugged his shoulders in answer.

"Well, I certainly see no reason why my baby girl can't manage who she wants to," Vince said in his gruff voice. "Its settled then, you'll protect my daughter and she'll see you to the very heights of the WWF. Now, as manager and wrestler, what can I name you in return for what you did tonight?"

"How about a title shot," Stephanie asked looking from her new client who looked interested, at least his eyes seemed to light up behind his mask, to her father. "I know there is a lot of power playing going on with the WWF Championship but what about the Intercontinental title? The Godfather just defeated Goldust last night and we can have a match on the 29th, the first episode of Smackdown! for the title."

"That's great, I'll make the necessary arrangements for the match and we'll get this whole thing going," the owner of the WWF said with a smile to his little girl. "I can just see it now, 'Acompanied to the ring by Stephanie McMahon, the Intercontinental Champion, Kane!' It will sell tickets like hotcakes," he said with a grin. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to go set up the match. Kane, you keep on eye on her until I return," Vince said with a chuckle as he moved out of his daughter's hug and walked toward the door. "I can see it now, this match will be one of the greatest, you'll see."

Kane watched as Vince shut the door and turned his attention back to the girl sitting on the couch. Something in all this didn't add up and he just couldn't seem to latch onto what it was. His long hair fell in front of his mask as he thought about the way things were going. Sadly his thoughts were interrupted by his new manager.

"Kane, I know you and X-pac have been getting close but I'm worried about that," Stephanie said with a sad look on her face. "I know you think he's your friend but remember what happened between you and Chyna just recently? They are all friends of Triple H and I don't doubt he has something planned, he is in my brother's Corporation after all. So, for now, lets forget about the tag team titles and just focus on singles gold, alright?"

The big man was as silent as ever but a slow nod confirmed he was willing to trust the bosses daughter.

"Great, well," she paused looking down at the black dress she was wearing, "I suppose if I'm going to be your manager I should look a bit more grown up. I really want to get this dress off though so could you please step outside and keep anyone from coming in?"

With another nod, Kane stepped toward the door and out into the corridor and listened as the door locked itself shut. Crossing his arms he stood defiantly, his whole frame taking up the door space as he watched for anyone to intrude. His mismatched eyes hadn't been on the look out for long when he saw the man formerly known as the Giant approaching. The taller and heavier superstar was still holding his shoulder from where the masked wrestler's brother had clubbed him with the baseball bat.

"Hey," the Big Show said as he drew up next to the red and black clad man and sighed. "Thanks for helping out there. If you hadn't come to the ring who knows how long those guys would have kept up on me. You beat the bad guys and you saved the girl, a real hero." He paused as he looked at the name on the door Kane was standing in front of. "I guess you aren't quite ready to leave her side yet, can't say I blame you. But here, from one big man to another, good job out there," the world's largest athlete said as he held out his hand.

Kane looked at the frying pan sized hand held out to him and after a long moment reached out to shake it. He wasn't sure why but he felt as though something in the air had shifted as he grasped the Big Show's hand and shook it.

The door behind him suddenly opened and Stephanie stood behind Kane looking at the clasped handshake between the two giant men. "Oh, wow, this is a momentous occasion," she said with a smile. "Big Show, I wanted to thank you for your part in rescuing me as well and if you see Ken, tell him I want to thank him as well. I'm also letting you know that as of just tonight I will be Kane's new manager so all matches will have to be agreed to by me but I'll be sure to talk to him about them."

"That's alright Miss McMahon, I wasn't challenging him," Big Show said as he let go of the slightly shorter man's hand. "I was thinking though, with our size we could make an awesome tag team. Right now a bunch of us are talking about creating a Union to go against the Corporation and the Ministry, Ken says he's in. Test and Mick Foley are still debating but I think you and Kane would be great as members as well. It could really give us a leg to stand on with Shane's sister and Undertaker's brother helping to lead the charge."

"I-I know that Shane didn't come to my rescue but I'm not so certain about really going against him," Stephanie's voice was timid as she spoke. "However, if you ever need our help against the Ministry we'll definitely throw our weight behind you. Right now though, I need to get out of the arena and Kane will be coming with me," she said shyly to the big man who had stepped to the side so they could see each other. "I need to try on some new outfits if I'm going to be a manager, and I want Kane's approval," she blushed.

Kane shrugged at the awed look on Big Show's face and stepped aside letting Stephanie walk in front of him. Her cashmere sweater and jeans hanging baggy off her body as they made their way to his dressing room so he could pick up his bag. Kane didn't see the big deal as he followed the young woman down the hall. So, she was going to be buying clothes, what purpose did that serve him? The silent juggernaut quickly grabbed his bag and followed Stephanie into the parking lot where they would head to the hotel. She was babbling on about him getting a room beside hers, but he didn't care. He had done what he thought was right and had gotten a title match for it, that was all he needed.

* * *

 **Smackdown! Pilot Episode: April 29th 1999**

* * *

Walking into Smackdown, well, Kane had a much different opinion on his priorities. He had spent the last two days with Stephanie McMahon and after the first hour of watching her shop and model the clothing she had planned for her debut as his manager, he had a major change of heart then he had leaving Raw. All he could think of was that Vince's Princess had made a habit of teasing him that day as she modeled clothing that he was certain that she wouldn't have picked up off the rack if her father had been present.

Yesterday he had gone to the gym to train for the upcoming match against the Godfather for the Intercontinental title. He had lifted weights and done some pushups and sit ups but that didn't seem to sit well with his new manager. She was talking about getting him a trainer of all things, someone who could loosen him up and make him move a bit easier. He didn't really mind the idea of more training and different types of work outs that it would bring about, he knew he was stiff in the ring and it had brought him several defeats in the past.

"Stephanie, there you are," the voice of the WWF owner said as he approached the two of them. His dark eyes almost seemed to narrow as he took in the red cashmere sweater she wore with her black skirt and pumps that as obviously modeled after the man standing beside her. Vince had arrived with a squad of security guards wearing black pants and polo shirts, their batons fit tightly to their sides. "I had to hire some extra protection for tonight, not-not because I don't think Kane isn't up to the task but you never know with so many people about and I want to give a speech to start off this show, the Inaugural episode of Smackdown!"

"That's fine daddy, I'm sure Kane doesn't mind," the woman said happily as she glanced at the seven foot tall silent soldier beside her. "Kane has been the utmost gentleman for the past few days and I don't mind if he accompanies us down to the ring for tonight."

"That's fine, I would like him to come as well," Vince said with a grin to his daughter before taking her hand. "Come on, we don't have much time."

There was no music as the group made their way down to the ring to start off the first Smackdown! in history. The security guards remained beside the ramp as Kane climbed over the top rope before turning back to the ramp and placing one foot on the middle rope and pulling up on the top rope to allow Stephanie and Vince through. He watched as Vince quickly moved across the ring to get his microphone but remained standing next the ropes, in between the ramp and the young woman he was charged with protecting.

"I'm extremely proud to be standing here before you tonight," Vince began to address the crowd, "but I'm even prouder to be standing here beside my daughter." He was all smiles even as the crowd began to chant the word 'Asshole' toward him. "That's true, I admit, I have been one of those in the past.  
However, as of this moment I vow to change my ways! To start, I'd like to take this moment to thank Ken Shamrock who ran out to help my daughter on Monday night. I'd also like to thank the Big Show in his attempts to break up that unholy wedding as well as Stone Cold Steve Austin. But, I suppose my biggest thanks will go to this big red machine standing in the ring with us, Kane, who freed my daughter and fought his own brother for her freedom. Thank you Kane."

Kane turned his head from the ramp to look at the father and daughter duo for a brief moment before turning back to the ramp without giving anymore of a reaction to the comment.

Stephanie gently reached out and took the microphone from her father. "I also would like to thank Ken Shamrock, the Big Show and Stone Cold for rushing the ring to try and help me on Monday night. However, my biggest thank you must be for you, Kane. You saved me from the Undertaker and Paul Bearer and you even agreed to be my bodyguard and for the last few days I have been safer than I have ever felt before, thank you."

The big red machine turned to the woman who he had agreed to be his manager and watched her as she continued to speak.

"I was taken against my will, stripped of my clothes and dressed in a black gown for an unholy wedding," she said with a disgusted sneer, not noticing Kane's hands clench at the mention of her being stripped. "I have never felt so powerless and violated in all my life. The Undertaker, he kept-he kept touching me and whispering in my ear how I was his, his to do with however he saw fit. So Kane," she said reaching forward and taking his hand in hers, "thank you, from the bottom of my heart and my soul, thank you, and Undertaker, Undertaker I hope you burn in Hell."

Kane's head whipped toward the Titantron as the words 'No Chance', echoed throughout the arena. His eyes narrowed as he watched Shane McMahon, Triple H, Chyna, the Mean Street Posse and the Big Boss Man begin to make their way down the ramp. He moved to block their path when it was clear the security wasn't going to do their jobs but the soft hand in his own pulled him back. Confused he turned to Stephanie who only gave him a sad smile and shook her head before pulling him to stand beside her and her father.

"First of all," Shane began as his eyes were locked onto his fathers, "what are you doing here? You know what, never mind I don't even want to hear it. I have to address one thing, last Monday night when the Undertaker abducted Stephanie did you not think that myself or the whole Corporation would have stepped in to save her, my own flesh and blood, if anything bad would have happened?" His eyes turned to his sister as spit flew from his lip, "Do you think I wouldn't have been there for you? What type of human being do you think I am?"

"What kind of human being do I think you are, Shane," Vince asked with raised eyebrows. "I think your the type-"

"Shut your mouth. That's enough out of you, I don't even want to hear it anymore," the black haired heir snapped at his father. "All of a sudden, Vince McMahon is out here apologizing for how you used to run business? What happened to the most ruthless tyrant in the world? You suddenly grow a conscious over night? Then, I hear you thanking Stone Cold? You, thanking that- you know that made me so nauseous that I nearly threw up in the back?" Shane licked his lips and straightened his tie as he stared down his father.

"You know to steal a line from Stone Cold. I don't give a rats ass about daddy's little girl, I don't give a rat's ass about Stone Cold, and I don't give a rat's ass about you," he said thrusting his finger into Vince's face.

"Well maybe you should give a rat's ass about this," the company owner demanded as he stepped toward his son. The movement was blocked by the equally tall combination of Triple H and Chyna but Kane moved as well, stepping in front of Stephanie and causing the two to suddenly jump back with their hands in the air.

"Whoa whoa, easy big fella, no ones out here trying to bust your chops," Shane said as he nervously looked from his sister's new bodyguard back to his father. He watched as Vince and Stephanie did their best to calm the suddenly ready to fight monster and for once cursed his underlings for jumping in without really thinking about it. "You better step back Vince, in fact you better keep your attitude out of my face before I slap the wrinkles out of yours. Now you can get to steppin', and you can take your little girl and that huge freak with you," he demanded. "This is my show and I'm running things here."

"You know Shane, maybe one day you'll be a man but right now," Vince said leaning into his son's face, "you are just a petulant little boy."

"Well let Wonder Boy show you the way out," the WWF heir said motioning to the ramp. "Corporation escort them out of my ring."

Kane was as quiet as ever as he stepped between Stephanie and Shane McMahon's old running buddies from Connecticut as they moved to leave the ring. His masked face didn't look away from the group until after Vince had crawled through the ropes following his daughter and then finally he let himself out of the ring as well.

"There it is, there they go," Shane's voice boomed over the microphone. "How about everyone give Vince and his little girl a hand," he mocked watching his father take his sisters hand as the security fell in line around them. "Why don't you go back, get into your limo and go home? You'll be there in about thirty five minutes and you can watch the rest of Smackdown! at home on your television!"

The big red machine hated that sad look on the young woman's face as her brother mocked her. If it wasn't for the security and his own match later that night he probably would have gone back into the ring and tombstoned every member of the Corporation right then and there.

"Come on, Steph, lets go home before anything else happens tonight," the elder McMahon said as they crossed through the gorilla into the backstage area. "You don't need to put up with this. Your brother is just being a jackass and I'm sure by the end of the night he'll step on someone's toes that he ought not to."

"But, I can't leave dad," Stephanie reminded her father as she came to a stop in the middle of the corridor. "I'm supposed to be ringside during Kane's match against the Godfather. I can't exactly do my job if I'm at home on the couch, and Kane can't do one of his jobs if he has to choose between his duties as a bodyguard or as a wrestler."

"Damn it, fine, you can stay long enough for Kane's match but then we are going home," Vince demanded as he looked at his daughter who was still near tears from the things that Shane had said to her just minutes ago. Turning his attention to the monster standing beside his daughter he poked the bigger man in the chest with his finger. "Kane, I don't want a slow knock out brawl of a match. I want you to destroy the Godfather and get it over with quickly so we can get back home."

"You know what, I don't care about the card," Vince continued with his face growing red. "Kane, you go out there right now and I'll announce the start of the match. Let the Godfather worry about making it to the ring in time."

Kane nodded before he turned and felt Stephanie's hand on his arm as he began to make his way back to the gorilla. His eyes narrowed as he saw the last few members of the Corporation trickle out from behind the heavy curtain and make their way to their lounge room. Stephanie jogged a head of him and almost bounced on her toes next to the thinner curtain leading to the stage as Kane made his way back out to the ring,

The lights in the arena flickered off as the sound of his music, Burned, began to play. The curtain of fire erupted from the stage as Kane moved out onto the ramp, Stephanie following him as he made his way to the ring. He could see the announcer in the squared circle looking confused with the microphone in hand before his finger flew to his ear for a brief moment and he raised the microphone to his mouth, announcing the Intercontinental match and Kane's personal stats.

It took several minutes after Kane had entered the ring, Stephanie standing just in front of the announcer's table clapping for him before the Godfather's music struck. "Come get on the Ho Train," the lyrics started and the massive man walked out onto the stage. He was dressed in a fur coat dyed to resemble cow leather with his cornrows dangling behind his head with little beads woven in underneath a fur cap. He was wearing a green vest and black pants beneath his fur coat and was coming down to the ring, dancing and partying with a small band of escorts that he had found around the city accompanying him.

The big red machine paced the far side of the ring as he waited for the man to hand off his coat, hat and pimp cane to the escorts that would line his side of the ring before the two men faced off. The bell was rung and they both moved forward, their hands gripping each others shoulders as they locked up in the middle of the ring. It seemed like no time before Kane's arms bent and he straightened them out again, pushing the Godfather against the ropes before driving the bottom of his boot into the man's face and sending him to the mat.

The bigger man wasted little time before he ran at the ropes, bouncing off of them again and came back jumping into the air and driving his elbow down to wear the Godfather had been, only to miss as the self styled pimp rolled out of the way. He almost screamed as his weight came down on his elbow, driving it into the plywood beneath the mat. Groaning he rolled back onto his feet and almost instantly met with a clothesline that sent him stumbling back. He glared as he watched the fellow wrestler run back to the ropes to attempt another clothesline but ducked the attack, grabbed the man around the waist and carried him into a sidewalk slam that had the Godfather's entire front meeting the hard ring beneath them.

Both men climbed back onto their feet at roughly the same time and the two began trading blows in the middle of the ring. Rights went back and forth before the Godfather's quicker speed got the better of Kane and began driving him back into the ropes. A quick whip sent Kane running across the ring and into the ropes before he started running back toward the pimped out wrestler only to jump at the last minute and connect against his opponent with a flying clothesline that sent him into a roll that nearly sent him beneath the bottom rope and out of the ring.

Kane climbed back to his feet and hauled his opponent to his feet before whipping him into the turnbuckle. He quickly followed up by running the big man down and slamming into him with all his weight. Again he grabbed the Godfather's arm and whipped him into the opposite turnbuckle before charging after him and slamming into him again. He stepped back and raised his gloved right hand into the air as the as the Godfather slowly turned around and grabbed him by the neck. He had to grab a hold of the other man's belt and bend his knees to lift the pimp off the ground but once he had him up it was child's play and gravity that let him slam the man into the ring hard enough for the structure to rattle.

Dropping to his knees, he covered the Godfather for the pin and heard the referee's hand come down.

1...

2...

...3.

Kane rose to his feet in time to meet the brunette daughter of the McMahon family as she slammed into his midsection for a hug. His head drooped to the side as he watched for a long minute before his arms tentatively moved to just fall across her back.

"You did it, Kane! You did it," Stephanie shouted to him as the referee brought him the Intercontinental title, the black and gold belt that was the second highest prize in the business. Holding it in his hands Kane lifted the belt for the crowd and listened to them cheer, never seeing the smile behind his mask before he brought down his arms, summoning the very fires of Hell as they flew through the ring posts and launched into the air as Burned began to play once again.

Rather than hold onto the belt himself, he let his new manager, the beautiful young woman drape the belt over her shoulder as he held the ropes open for her before flipping out of the ring. Their first night together as manager and wrestler and he had managed to attain gold already. Maybe, just maybe, working for Stephanie would turn out better for him than it had when he worked for her father.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Hello Wrestling Fans! I too am a wrestling fan, my favorite being Kane since I started watching WWF/E back in 1998 though the Undertaker comes a close second and Stone Cold and the Rock follow. This story is a What If story, as in What if Kane wasn't teaming with X-pac and had saved Stephanie McMahon from the Black Wedding. Well, now you have a Kane with a young and impressionable Stephanie McMahon (Kayfabe), as his manager and he'll be going through the WWF/E with a McMahon in his corner.

This of course will change some things but others will stay the same. What how and why, well you'll just have to stay tuned to find out!


	2. Chapter 2

****Connecticut**** **Friday April 30 1999**

* * *

The problem with being the bodyguard for a McMahon and having one as a manager was that Kane's usual workout routine was disrupted as he couldn't head back to the Tennessee mountains he usually called home. His usual training strategy consisted of using the outdoors and fresh air as much as possible to get into the best shape, whether it was racing across his property with scuba weights strapped to his arms and legs, hauling chains through the woods, or just lifting the log he had set up on two sawhorses at varying heights, it was all out of his reach as he stood in the massive gym that the McMahon's offered their employees near the World Wrestling Federation headquarters.

The masked man was alone for the most part, dressed in a white sleeveless shirt and track pants with a pair of specially made sneakers his father had bought him years ago among the fancy weights and machines used by the family and their closest friends. He idly wandered from machine to machine looking at the weights and understanding how they moved and what part of the body they were meant to work out while his bubbly and happy new manager followed him around talking almost nonstop as they waited for the trainer she had enlisted to arrive.

The woman, as he called her in his head, was dressed in blues and whites that made her appear as innocent as a flower or an angel, one of the things he would have scoffed at just a few years prior. Her tank top was cut to reveal a healthy amount of cleavage and her tight leggings left very little to his imagination as his eyes would glance toward her. He would have said she was teasing him if he thought she was into that sort of thing but he was fairly certain that she wasn't. Her smiles were just too innocent but after the events that had unfolded once they had returned to her parents' home last night, the smiles were only on her lips as her eyes were brimmed with red from crying all night as she watched her brother form an alliance with his own.

It was a sticking point that he now felt that he was missing a huge piece of the puzzle for some of the events that had been going on between the McMahon family and his own. How had Paul managed to get Stephanie's teddy bear from her house, how did they know where to find the house anyway? The idea that the whole thing was masterminded by Shane didn't feel genuine, he knew his brother better than some others and the Undertaker would not do business with who he thought was his inferior. So, that left the rumors of the Higher Power, an unseen force that Kane had never heard before who was controlling both the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. It just didn't make sense to him.

"Alright, I'm glad to see you both are here," a strange man said as he stepped into the gym dressed similar to Kane only in black and green. "My name is James, I believe we spoke to each other on the phone," he directed to Stephanie. James was a man who was shorter than Kane by nearly a foot but was broad and built like a linebacker.

"Yes, I'm Stephanie and this is Kane," the youngest McMahon said gesturing to the man beside her. "He doesn't really talk so any questions are going to have to go through me. I had him write up a list of the exercises he normally does when training and I'll let you look over them and we can decide where to go from their," the saddened woman said as she passed over the descriptions written in red ink. It was as detailed as the bigger man could make it and she had been a bit weary of moving him away from the style his more impoverished lifestyle had shaped for him but she felt that this was the best way to go about making him an all over threat rather than just powering through.

"Well lets see what we have here," the blonde haired James said with a smile as he unfolded the paper handed to him and began to read. His eyebrows raised higher and higher before they threatened to disappear into his hairline as he read the workout notes his new clients had given him. "It isn't bad, I dare say a hundred years ago that some of these methods would have seen a true strongman blush in shame. However, with our understanding of how the body works and the advancements in modern training some of these, while effective, have been greatly approved upon. So, how about we start by limbering up so we don't tear any muscles and we can begin getting this power house started, shall we?"

The masked figure in the room felt humiliated for the next hour as this personal trainer put him through stretches that had him bending over, or lunging with his hands clapped onto his hips. He had to sit on his ass and reach for his toes to stretch out his back, hamstrings and calves before they even got started on the normal exercises he usually started with, sit ups and pushups but only a handful of sets each. As they hit the one hour mark, he was sent jogging on a treadmill that had a slight incline but he wasn't allowed to use the handrails, instead a set of fifty pound dumbbells had been pushed into his palms as he was forced to jog for the equivalent of ten miles.

Climbing off the treadmill he was immediately set to work on more pushups, only this time his feet had been elevated a half foot off the ground and two small stands were placed on either side of his hands. He was forced to lower himself to the ground and push up with enough strength to leave the ground and let his hands fall onto the stands before pushing off hard enough to go airborne again and land with his hands back on the floor. James had said it was meant to invoke the power and strength needed to push a man away but Kane's arms were already beginning to burn from the changed workout routine.

He wasn't allowed to stand once he had finished the work out and was told to 'bear walk' several laps from the pushup station to the far wall and back again, meaning he had to move on his hands and the balls of his feet with his ass in the air and he ran back and forth. He was actually glad for Stephanie's involvement as she moved to his side during one of his turns and pulled his long hair out of his face and tied it back with some girly scrunchie she had with her, at least he was able to see.

Next he was handed a pair of weights that resembled cannon balls with handles on the top. One weighted a hundred and five pounds and he held it in his left hand with the weight dangling straight down at his side while a second weight at a hundred and twenty pounds was gripped in his right hand and held over his right shoulder as he walked carefully around a set of orange traffic cones that had been set up as a winding obstacle course. Every time he reached the end of the course, he would switch the weights and their positions and be forced through the course in the opposite direction.

From the cones he would go to a stationary bike with its resistance turned up. He was told to keep the speed above fifty mph for five minutes than he could peddle at his own speed before pushing the speed back up again. In the future both the rate of resistance and the speed he would have to peddle would be increased, but after five cycles he was moved on to another area, where he was told to lie on his back next to a rope secured to the ceiling and place his feet on a resting stand that lifted them slightly above his head. He was to grip the rope with his bare hands and lift his body off the ground in a modified pull up.

A few more basic stretches and it was time for lunch, or what Stephanie and the trainer James called lunch. He was presented with a rather large cup and a straw but what was inside didn't look edible. A deep green colored sludge rolled back and forth with chunks of different fruits just barely visible but still small enough to slide through the straw. Not wanting to hurt Stephanie's feelings, especially after the emotional night she had the evening before, Kane did his best to ignore the acidic taste of the strange concoction as he spent the next forty five minutes sipping it through the straw he had wedged into the thin breathing space in his mask.

After that it was back to work as he spent the following day learning his new regimen that would supposedly carry him to victory. The theory was to keep himself moving and treat everything as an obstacle he would meet in the ring. His arms were each worked separately or together depending on the exercise and the strange workouts he had with James would take place every other day unless it fell on a show day. Days he had to be on Raw and the upcoming Smackdown! which wouldn't go on full time until August, and he didn't work with James he simply lifted weights and jogged, or held dumbbells in his hands while striking at a crash test dummy Stephanie had managed to get for him rather than a simple punching bag.

It was a new experience over all, but when Kane saw how happy the young woman was that he was willing to try it he couldn't help but decide to stick to the training schedule she and James had worked out. It wasn't flawless, he knew that, but oddly he felt better after a few days of the new exercises and he knew that in several months he would become something more, something far more dangerous then he was now. When the possibility of taking time off had come up, he had shook his head. He was a champion and he could use the matches to help figure out just what the new training was doing for him as he practiced his strikes and moves on the smaller men who would come for the Intercontinental title.

* * *

 **Raw: Monday May 3rd, 1999**

* * *

The big red machine was bored as he sat in a chair in front of Stephanie's hotel room door with his arms crossed. Vince had sent the McMahon women home early in the night and now he didn't have a match for the evening and instead was sitting here watching as the massive member heavy Corporate Ministry railed against the Union on the television screen. He wanted to be there, to man handled and destroy anyone who came for him but his top priority was to keep the youngest McMahon safe according to Vince who was currently being beaten by Triple H and the Undertaker in his own office.

"I'm sorry," the sweet McMahon girl said as she sat on her bed in a pair of pajamas and a tank-top watching the screen with him. He had to control the urge to let his eyes wander as they seemed impeccably drawn to the fact that in her sleepwear she had decided to forgo a bra for the evening and the air conditioning was blowing a steady stream of cool air that had her rock hard nipples poking through the material for his perusal. "I was hoping we could at least get into the ring to talk about what our brothers were doing but dad said it was to dangerous. Hopefully next week we'll be able to defend your belt. I got a call from the office saying that Godfather wants a rematch."

Kane nodded absentmindedly as he listened to her. His brother was currently cheating his way through the match with help from Paul Bearer and the big red machine could only roll his eyes at the effort it took them to put down the Big Show. He had met Show in the ring before and while the man was massive even to Kane he wasn't unstoppable. The use of ether and then the ball bat was really to much and didn't do much to show the strength of their family in fact, it did the opposite by making it look like they needed to cheat to beat someone.

He didn't even bother to watch the Austin and Rock match as he simply knew the outcome with so many members of the combined stables working as lumberjacks. It did get slightly interesting when the Union was sent down by Vince McMahon and then the rest of the locker room pouring out but it didn't really effect him as his charge was safe and sound in her hotel room with him protecting her. Turning off the television he turned to look at the young girl and breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed she had fallen asleep.

Standing he was ready to head to the couch to catch some shut eye himself before their morning flight back to Connecticut where he would again be taking up residence in the McMahon's guest room and threw a blanket and pillow down before moving to the bathroom with a roll of clothes to change into something more comfortable than his leather wrestling gear to sleep in. He probably wasn't alone in the bathroom for more than ten minutes and was readjusting his mask from having brushed his teeth when he stepped out of the small room to find the bedroom cast into darkness.

"Relax, I'm not here for the girl," the rasping voice of the Undertaker spoke from the seat he had just recently vacated. "Things are at play here that you need to understand little brother. This whole mess, this whole Corporate Ministry idea isn't mine, it comes from a Higher Power, and there is no higher power in the World Wrestling Federation than Vince McMahon."

Kane, always silent listened as the sheets ruffled on the bed as the young woman moved about. He could tell even if he wasn't sure that his brother could that this little speech was having a third member involved.

"This is all about getting back at Austin for Vince, his business before his family. We might have some bad blood between us, Kane, and I know I am not your favorite person in this world but we're getting dragged into this nonetheless and I'm ashamed to say you and that girl are two of the handful of innocents getting swept in the wake. I made a deal with the devil and so did Paul but it won't last forever, these things never do. Be prepared, little brother, because the fall out from this will reshape the World Wrestling Federation for years to come," Undertaker explained.

The lights came back on and Kane found himself standing across from an empty seat. His eyes flew to the bed where he saw Stephanie trying to lay as stiff as she could but her shoulders still were shaking from silent tears. He took a deep breath and moved to her, sitting on the side of the bed and gently resting one of his massive over sized hands to lay on her shoulder. Neither of them spoke as the hours dragged on but eventually he found himself sitting with his back against the girl's pillows and she cried herself to sleep hugging his chest. Whatever the fallout of the nights events would be, he was certain none would be more extreme then whatever Stephanie, the innocent looking young woman with a mind possibly as twisted as Vince's own, would cook up.

* * *

 ** **Connecticut**** **Wednesday May 5th 1999**

* * *

Kane was stretching after his morning workout and looked around again for Stephanie while his trainer left the room. Things had been weird since Monday night and the trip home on Tuesday had been stranger then the previous night. The flight home had seen Stephanie speaking normally to her father while sitting between the man and his wife and Kane had been forced to sit on the other side of the private jet, left out of the conversation, though he made sure to keep an eye on the woman he was charged to protect, especially as she sat right beside the man she needed protection from.

This morning he and Stephanie had come to the gym as they had each morning he didn't need to make an appearance but while he had headed into the room where his training took place, she had slipped into one of the office rooms and hadn't returned yet. Grabbing his daily shake that Stephanie had forced into his diet, he almost dropped it when he heard his half-brother's voice rumble from the hallway. Setting the drink down he stormed out of the main room and into the hallway that lined the back of the building with doors leading into different offices and came face to face with the supposed Lord of Darkness.

"Kane, Kane, whoa whoa whoa," Stephanie said obviously seeing the meeting of the two men as a necessary cause to jump in between. "I invited him, Kane. I needed him here to talk to my mother," she explained pointing to the short haired blonde and blue eyed woman who was watching through the glass window of one of the office doors. "My dad is at the office going over the information about last weeks Smackdown! show and we needed a place to meet where he wasn't going to show up. I called him here to explain to my mom exactly what I overheard the other night."

"She did. I told you I made a deal with the devil and the fallout was going to send us all to a new tomorrow," the Undertaker stated. "Now, I don't care what plans she and her mother create as long as it doesn't get in the way of my title shot against Austin at No Mercy." The Dead Man stopped to look at the woman long enough to see her shake her head before he sighed a breath of fresh air. Stepping around the woman, the long leather coat he usually reserved for when he wasn't in the ring flapped around his feet as he stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother. "I watched you training in there, and I'm glad that I saw what I did. I've made my plans with these two and now its your turn. Take this seriously and listen to what they have to say," the older brother concluded before walking away.

"Alright, Kane I know this is going to be difficult but just listen to us," Stephanie said as she took the seven foot man's hand in her own and gently lead him into the office before closing the door. She and her mother took their seats while Kane found one of his own. "Now, all of our plans right now are to subtly influence No Mercy next month and then the King of the Ring in June unless my dad's arrogance gets the best of him. The Undertaker will let us know when exactly that will happen but so far my father hasn't said he would be revealing himself yet."

"I will be making some calls before No Mercy, Kane," Linda said in a disgusted voice that said just what she thought of that idea. "This plan will need to be fluid so it can be changed but what we do have is that once Vince reveals himself to be this mysterious Higher Power, Stephanie and I will be turning over our shares of the company to Stone Cold Steve Austin, making him the new C.E.O. of the WWF. By that time, Undertaker should have the title and we can begin planning things out from there. Your brother's contract expires later this year as well, however his Ministry is too powerful to leave unchecked, and he has agreed that if you win the King of the Ring tournament and manage to defeat him at Fully Loaded, the Ministry of Darkness will be passed on to you in his absence."

"Now, that isn't everything and we do have a few other ideas planned out with your brother's help," Stephanie started as she explained what they had come up with to her silent guardian.

Unnoticed by Stephanie and Kane, the blonde haired co-owner of the WWF was silent as she watched the interaction between her daughter and the man who had saved her from her own father's machinations. A mother always knows and she had seen the little changes to Stephanie's attire and the way she looked at the masked man. He was a powerful, tragic knight in black and red armor who was surrounded by mystery thanks to that mask, it wasn't hard to see why her daughter had so quickly become taken by the man. She wasn't going to say anything but if something were to happen between the two, she knew she and Stephanie would need to come up with a plan to keep Vince from firing the wrestler. Maybe she could work their current plans into one that would see her daughter happy as well.

* * *

 **Raw: Monday May 10th 1999**

* * *

The Corporate Ministry was already in the ring as the night began and the crowd were going wild with their negative cries at seeing the men in the ring. Shane McMahon was practically bouncing on his feet in the middle of the ring, untouchable for anyone who would dare come after him while the Undertaker stood nearby, dressed in the heavy black robe that he usually wore to the ring these days. The rest of the massive group had almost the entire ring filled with the biggest part of the group loitering on the ramp side of the ring in case anyone should decide to attack.

"Welcome to another night of MY show," Shane said into the microphone to start the night. "Things have been crazy this week but nothing could shock me more than the message I received from my old man just this morning. It seems that the rest of my family no longer has my back. Well boo hoo, I couldn't care less." He paused and seemed to bask in the boos sent his way by the crowd. "You don't seem to get it, Vince. I'm more powerful now then you ever were. Look who I have with me in this ring! I have the full backing of the Corporation and the Ministry of Darkness, do you see this? The Undertaker, the man who you feared, the man who you failed to save my baby sister from, he's on my side! Not to mention, we have the blessing of the omnipotent, the Higher Power is on our side, Vince so why do I need my family?"

"The World Wrestling Federation will soon belong to the Higher Power, Vince," the Undertaker stated from beneath his hood. "A couple of weeks ago, my younger brother may have screwed up those plans when he freed your daughter, Stephanie, from my cold icy grasp but the ceremony, it isn't over. What once was started in the name of the Lord of Darkness must see its end and I will have my Black Wedding. Now, while Kane is nothing to the powers we have at our disposal, he is one of us by blood and his power is strong enough to keep Stephanie out of my reach but I will have another bride. If I can't have the key to the kingdom on my arm, I will just take whomever I want."

"You see this, you see, we are unstoppable," Shane nearly shouted in glee as he took back over for the dead man. "There is not power on Earth or in Heaven that could dare stop us!"

"Wait right there, Junior," the voice of Shawn Michaels spoke out over the speakers in the arena just as the Commissioner's face appeared on the Titantron. The long haired former leader of DX and Triple H's former best friend was smiling as he wore a bullet proof vest and a pair of black uniform pants. "I would go around throwing out challenges like that because someone just might decide to take you up on it, and what do you know, I accept! So, at No Mercy you decided to stack the odds in your favor, Stone Cold Steve Austin against the Undertaker and Triple H, anything goes and you as the guest referee, that's fine. Now, lets even things out a bit and say that the match will have two referees, you and your dear old daddy, Vince McMahon."

"Wait, you can't do that! This is my show," Shane shouted at the man standing backstage.

"Uh, I'm the Commissioner, I think you'll find I can do whatever I want, Shane-O. Now, as for tonight, lets see how about a Nightstick on a Pole match, that seem random enough? The Union's Test will go up against the Big Boss Man to see who can beat the hell out of each other first, huh," Shawn said with a grin. "Then, how about some of your boy's Taker? I'm thinking Viscera and Mideon vs whoever the Mick Foley decides to show up as." He was forced to pause as the crowd started screaming for the match, their chants a strange combination of Cactus Jack, Dude Love and Mankind. "Farooq and Bradshaw, well I have no one for you two to face so... you'll fight each other."

"No, how about a little HBK magic? Chyna, you look man enough, almost as much as Sable's bodyguard Nicole Bass. So, why don't you get into your ring gear and get ready to face Ken Shamrock tonight? Then, the main event will be, hmm, how about a six man match, Undertaker, Triple H and Shane McMahon versus Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Rock and Vince? But wait a minute, what are we going to do to start the show? Show? Oh, the Big Show will get to see action against that tubby whale standing in the ring, Paul Bearer!"

Laughter could be heard throughout the arena as the father of Kane had suddenly slumped to the floor at the announcement.

"Then, by the power invested in me by, well me, we'll have a match I know you are all dying to see, an Evening Gown match between Debra and the Women's Champion, Sable for the title. As a matter of fact, why have just one title match tonight? Tonight will see Kane defend his Intercontinental Championship in a rematch from Smackdown! when he faces the Godfather and his beautiful HO Train!" The Heartbreak Kid stopped and seemed to peer at the camera on his side of the Titantron. "Oh, someone wake ol' Pauly up down there would you? Because his match is next!"

* * *

The big red machine stood in the locker room that had been set aside for him as he watched the night begin and didn't bother to look away as he watched his father be destroyed by the Big Show. He watched as the Big Show called out his older half brother who appeared along with the members of the Ministry of Darkness in hopes of saving the dark preacher from the giant's grasp but his attention was finally pulled away by the sound of a phone ringing just to the side of the television. Reaching down he grasped the small plastic device and quickly hit the answer button before putting it to his ear.

" _Hello? Is this Kane? Its Linda McMahon could you put me on speaker_ ," the woman on the other end asked and the instrument of destruction pulled the phone from his ear and put it on the bench before giving the other lone occupant in the room a glance. Stephanie looked ravishing in a tight red shirt that was cut low to show her cleavage and a pair of black leather pants and boots. She was to join him at ringside for his match later tonight and she was busy touching up her make up as he hit the button to put the call on speaker. " _Hello, hello Kane? Why did we give the phone to a man who can't talk again_?"

"Oh, sorry mom, I was just getting ready for later tonight," the heiress said as she practically flew from the vanity where she had been sitting to join Kane beside the phone. "What's going on? I thought we were only going to talk if something in the plan changed."

" _I got a call from the Undertaker a little bit ago, honey. Your father isn't happy with how Mr. Michaels plans on ending the match tonight between Sable and Debra and wants the Ministry to abduct that floozy of a woman before she can be stripped of her title. The Undertaker is to head to the ring to interfere in the match and proclaim Sable to be the queen or something for the Higher Power_." The woman stopped to take a breath. " _If he wants too, the Undertaker will allow Kane to 'save' Sable from him and bring her to the back. If he does, we can add her to plans if she agrees to go along with it but Vince will most certainly bring down the full of his Corporate Ministry down on Kane's head for daring to interfere again._ "

Stephanie was no longer looking at the phone as she fumed at the audacity of her father to try and use this stupid angle to cheat on her mother again. It was disgusting and she absolutely hated the way the man had walked over her mother in the past but that was what this whole plan was for, to get him to realize he couldn't just treat his family like this. Her soft eyes turned to the silent man standing beside her and saw that he wasn't even thinking about the idea, he was putting his trust in her and waiting for him to tell him what to do.

"Save her, don't let my dad hurt my mom like this again, Kane," she pleaded. "We'll figure out a way to keep you from being attacked during your match but you've seen what your brother did to all those men that follow him now. He's brainwashed them all, if he were to get his hands on Sable he would have to do the same thing to her and that means she'll be raped, Kane. My father would be raping her when she wouldn't know any better. Please, please stop him from becoming that man by heading out there."

Kane leaned his head back but finally nodded and turned his attention back to the television. He wasn't a moron, for the plan to continue and if he saved Sable he would be attacked by the combined might of the Corporate Ministry and more than likely lose his Intercontinental title tonight. He honestly didn't give two shits about the Women's Champion but the young woman behind him talking to her mom wanted him to save her. So, like a good soldier he placed himself in front of the T.V. screen, only for a knock to come from the door.

"Five minutes," a stagehand called through the shut door.

Kane's mismatched eyes blinked as he turned to look at Stephanie who was looking back at him in shock. Behind his mask he grinned as something seemed to be going his way for once. He reached into his bag and pulled out his trusty black leather glove and pulled it over his right hand. It was time to do what he did best and that was hurt people, and right now he needed to put the Godfather in his place before he rescued the blonde woman Vince was after.

* * *

 **To Be Continued Next Chapter**

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I don't expect wrestling stories to explode in popularity, especially one with as strange an angle as Kane and Stephanie. One of the problems with a story like this and especially where I started it was that just a week after No Mercy is the tragedy that was Over the Edge. For those who don't know Over the Edge was the pay per view in 1999 where Owen Hart sadly fell to his death while trying to parody the entrance of WCW's Sting. This was a heart breaking moment in WWF and I don't plan on adding it to my story. No Mercy will be the only pay per view show for May, and it will be followed up with King of the Ring the next month.

Now, to answer reviews:

mmat: If you are asking if Kane will simply fill in for the roll of Triple H after his Kayfabe marriage to Stephanie in the 1999/2000 storyline, the answer is no. That moment will be a huge split in how the company is run today and how this story goes. Kane is a silent monster until around 2002, which I will have explained in this story for why he suddenly starts talking, according to insiders, Triple H never stopped talking about how HE wanted to run the show and how his views lined up with Vince's.

spanky1988: Well, wait no longer because if you are reading this, then you have successfully read Chapter 2, lol.


	3. Chapter 3

**Raw Monday May 10th 1999-Continued**

* * *

The masked wrestler was rocked backwards by a clothesline from the Godfather that put him up against the ropes. He tried to shake his head and clear away the cobwebs that had suddenly gathered around his mind when he felt the powerfully built opponent slam into him again, sending him flipping over the top rope. His height was a clear advantage though as he managed to grab onto the second rope and swung down to land on his feet. Frustrated he turned and grabbed the other man around the leg and dragged him out beneath the bottom rope and on the opposite side of the ring as his contention of barely clad women.

The women were usually a clear distraction for the pimp's opponents but against the silent giant they might as well have been stacked wood for all the attention he gave them. His gloved fist caught the vest wearing playboy under the jaw sending him reeling backwards and right into one of the ring posts. Kane began to march toward the man before he heard the faint call of Stephanie McMahon behind him. Turning he saw her trying to yell something at him while pointing to the ring. His eyes flew to the counting referee and he immediately understood what she wanted.

Without waiting for the Godfather to recover, the seven foot tall man slid back into the ring with ease and took up waiting for the other man to climb in. The Godfather seemed to be making his entrance before his eyes landed on the McMahon heiress standing nearby. With a quick look at his opponent and a sly smirk on his face he straightened his vest and began walking the ring apron while gesturing to the brunette woman and back to himself. Fury seized the brother of the dead man as he stormed over to his opponent and grabbed his shoulder spinning him around before he locked his arm around the back of Godfather's head and suplexed him over the ropes and into the ring.

Climbing back to his feet, Kane grabbed the other wrestler and hauled him to his feet by his sleeveless vest, tearing the piece of clothing open before throwing the other man into the turnbuckle. In a flash the red and black clad wrestler was on top of his opponent as his fists reigned down on the man who was covering his head in an attempt to protect himself. With a growl at not doing the damage he wanted, Kane grabbed the man's forearm and Irish whipped him from corner to corner before chasing after him and slamming him with the full weight of his body.

Slowly he backed away from the nearly equal sized dark skinned opponent and lifted his gloved hand into the air, a clear signal that had the crowd cheering as he watched like a cobra waiting for his moment to strike. Dazed the Godfather stumbled out of the corner and turned right into a hand clamping around his throat. His eyes were wide as he tried to pull the hand away but felt a second hand grab him by the belt and he was hoisted into the air. He couldn't even scream thanks to the choke hold and soon found his brain rattled as he slammed to the canvas, a larger body covering his own and hooking his leg while putting its weight on his chest so he couldn't move for the dreaded three count.

Kane's music filled the air as he watched Stephanie climb the black stairs with his title belt in her hands. He was about to move and help her through the ropes but the referee beat him to it, and he felt his anger flair as he saw the man's eyes latch onto the cleavage presented to him for his act of chivalry. He didn't act though on his instincts to tear the ref's eyes from his skull as the brunette quickly rushed to his side and held his hand in the air, or at least as high as she could reach, while simultaneously holding up his belt.

Freeing his arm, Kane brought down his arms as fire erupted from the ring posts and the ominous dark aura of his entrance and exits filled the arena. With Stephanie clearly happy with his victory he held the ropes apart for her so she could exit, gnashing his teeth as she received catcalls from the fans. Flipping over the ropes himself, he started to make his way up the ramp, ready to continue his watch for the Women's Championship and the moment he would have to work along side his brother against the man who signed their paychecks.

* * *

"That was great," Stephanie nearly shouted as she moved about the locker room after the match. She didn't seem to mind at all that Kane was there as she unfastened the belt around her hips and quickly wiggled out of the dark leather pants she had been wearing. The man's heterochromian eyes widened as she saw the lacy dark blue thong that seemed to tease him from where it lay between the cheeks of Stephanie's firm apple ass. "I mean the way you completely wrecked him with those whips into the turnbuckles and then that chokeslam. I hope that's some of that training you've been doing shining through," she said with her back still facing him as she began to step into a pair of denim jeans.

"Of course the world may never know," she continued as she turned to look at him a mischievous smile tugging at her lips when she saw his eyes dart away. "Oh, someone brought tonight's card while we were out. Big Show versus Paul Bearer, Kane versus Godfather, Test versus Big Boss Man, aha, Sable versus Debra will be on after that stupid 'on a pole' match. Those things have never made sense to me," she admitted as she passed over the card for him to look at.

The match on the screen between Test and the Big Boss Man went about as well as anyone expected when they saw not only the nightstick dangling from a rope attached to one of the turnbuckles, but also another nightstick on Boss Man's side. While the brunette would wince at each blow that the long haired Canadian took, the masked man just stared unflinching at the screen as he waited. When the big moment for the Women's Championship came around... it was less then impressive.

Debra was wearing a red evening gown complete with rhinestones set around her abdomen and her large breasts were almost fully on display as she made her way to the ring with a smile so white it was nearly blinding in the lights. Sable came out in much less, what could barely be considered a nighty was tied around her shoulders and a black thong was all that hid her most private areas from the world. She was accompanied to the ring by her 'bodyguard', Nicole Bass, a large powerful looking woman with a heavy chin dressed in a plain white shirt and blue jeans.

The match was the typical Monday night affair as the two women tried to strip the clothes off of each other for only a few short seconds before the towel wearing Val Venis made his way to the ring side. Val began to flirt with Debra from ringside before Sable made her way up behind the red dressed blonde and ripped the gown from her body with only a few quick tugs revealing the challenger's black bra and matching panties. While the 'action' was taking place in the ring, Nicole Bass, the woman who seemed to have a thing for the WWF's leader in pornographic films began to stalk to the man up the ring, before he was blindsided by Jeff Jarret's guitar across the back of the head and Nicole then began chasing Jeff up the ramp.

The blonde guitar swinger nearly made it to the back but was suddenly met with a Clothesline From Hell as Bradshaw sprang from the gorilla. The lights flickered an ominous dark blue and purple as the Undertaker's chants began to fill the arena. The Ministry being lead by Farooq and Bradshaw began to make their way to the ring, Mideon stuck out his tongue at the camera as he passed and was quickly followed by the Brood with the Undertaker and Paul Bearer bringing up the lead. As the small army of men surrounded the ring, the Acolytes took up position in front of the WWF Commissioner, Shawn Michaels who had been sitting on commentary so the Heart Break Kid couldn't get involved.

The Undertaker and Kane's father quickly climbed into the ropes where they were met by Sable's bodyguard who had raced back to the ring at the firsts sign of trouble. The powerfully built woman had her eyes set on the Phenom and didn't notice as Edge slid into the ring behind her. She only turned around at her employers shout and was met by a spear that sent the woman crashing through the ropes to a waiting Viscera, who held her against his chest as his five hundred pound frame easily overpowered her.

"Well, well, look at this lovely sight that awaited me," the dead man said with a smirk. "I told you earlier tonight that with my foolish younger brother having ruined my wedding a few weeks ago, I lost the key to the World Wrestling Federation but my efforts have not been in vain. A power far higher than myself has seen me fit to fill the role of match maker and find the most beautiful bride to fill his carnal lusts," the Undertaker explained as he stalked both women in the ring. "Who better to fill the bed of this dark being then the woman who has stirred up the attention of men around the world by posing nude, right Sable?"

Seeing her chance, Debra shoved the other blonde into the broad chest of the man stalking them and easily jumped out of the ring and took off running up the ramp, leaving the Women's Champion in the clutches of the Ministry. The blonde in the ring was shaking her head frantically as the massive man in front of her reached out, grabbing her by the black teddy she wore and pulled her closer to him.

"This seems all so familiar doesn't it little girl? Except, now, you are the target for which I have been sent. A few weeks ago I called you Vince's meal ticket and that hasn't changed anymore as of late has it? All those television interviews, magazine covers and the posters lining the walls of prebuscent boys around the world. You are the very epitome of lust in the World Wrestling Federation and now its time for you to meet the piper," the Undertaker growled.

The business in the ring was suddenly culled as flames launched from the stage and Burned began to blur. Kane began to make his way down the ramp to the ring but was once again met by the full force of the Ministry of Darkness. A boot met Edge's face as the young blonde attempted a spear, and a double clothesline flattened the rest of the Brood. He barely caught the sight of Viscera falling to the floor just on the other side of the steps as Nicole Bass hit him with a low blow from behind and both members of the Acolytes were brought down by HBK's Sweet Chin Music.

His only obstacle was Mideon as the man charged at him but Kane quickly snatched the deranged man up and swiftly turned around driving him into the steel ramp with a spinebuster. Standing quickly, Kane climbed over the top ropes just as Nicole and Shawn were sliding in from the side and the back.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, Kane," the Undertaker's voice echoed menacingly throughout the arena. "First you decide to disrupt my marriage to Stephanie McMahon and now you dare to interrupt the Lord of Darkness as he is speaking to another woman? Is this what you have become? A hero for the women of the World Wrestling Federation? I know you Kane, Paul here knows you, you aren't going to be playing the hero for long, soon you'll just be another sacrifice to the Higher Power."

The masked brother stepped up to stand chest to chest with his elder sibling ignoring the cries to stand down from Paul Bearer before he was suddenly silenced by a third Super Kick form HBK. The hooded brother frowned as he dropped his microphone and stepped away from his younger brother and turned as if to pick up the man now laying flat out on the canvas but quickly turned to grab the blonde playboy bunny. His attempt was met by a vicious blow to the side of his head as Kane began to beat him back, getting retribution for having been set on fire on Raw.

The war between the two brothers sent Nicole and Shawn sliding out of the ring but Sable wasn't so lucky. She had tried to sneak behind the Undertaker in order to grab her championship belt and a blow from Kane had sent the older sibling slamming into her, knocking her down. From the shadows around the ring, the Acolytes grabbed Paul Bearer and pulled him out of the way, just in time for Kane to clothesline his brother over the top rope. Kane followed his brother, stalking him as he moved around the ring to the ramp, ignoring the dark shadows of the weak lighting before he raised his hands and dropped them to his side, summoning the fire from the turnbuckles that melted his brother's shadows as orange and red lights filled the arena along with his music.

Stepping away from the ropes he made his way over to the downed Sable and quickly scooped her up into his arms. He didn't bother to look at the tall female bodyguard as he carefully left the ring with the blonde woman in his arms and carried her to the back, through the gorilla and into his locker room where Stephanie was waiting.

* * *

 **Hotel May 10th 1999**

* * *

Kane was silent as he watched Stephanie, Sable and Nicole eat. There was a place set for him with various dishes from the chinese take out they had ordered but he would wait until he could remove his mask in privacy before he fed himself. Despite his own appearance the masked man would not claim that Nicole was an attractive woman, her sunken lips and jutting lips gave the impression of a fish, but she was remarkably strong for a woman probably a decent ally to have moving forward and the perfect counter to the Corporation's Chyna.

"So, let me see if I have this straight," Sable said with her eyes locked on the youngest McMahon sibling. "Your father was the one who set up the whole Ministry of Darkness to fight the Corporation and kidnap you all to take away the focus from him for continuing screwing Stone Cold over? However, when Kane here got involved, the Undertaker switched allegiances and has been feeding you information which is why Kane was able to come to my rescue tonight."

"That is it in a nutshell," the brunette woman at the table said before she speared a piece of beef on the end of her fork and popped it into her mouth. "So, since I asked Kane to save you, I'm certain my father will have all of his men coming after us next week during the No Mercy pay per view, and he might just send his men after you again during your title match against Tori. I also know that the pay per view is when your contract expires and my mom and I are willing to negotiate a new contract with you before our full plan comes together."

"Well then, I suppose we should start talking business. Your father has sent the Undertaker after me twice now and the second time he tried to have me brainwashed to be his little goth whore, that isn't going to fly. So, how do we go about setting up this little taste of revenge," Sable asked as the two bodyguards in the room watched on silently.

"To start with, you'll be joining me and Kane since he's the one who seems to be keeping the Ministry at bay, a wall between us and the supposed 'Higher Power'," Stephanie began. "What better way is there to get revenge then to live off the man who tried to have you abducted and use his money to help better yourself? I was planning to talk to the members of the Union so that we could have our own faction to help protect us from my father and brother but it seems as though my father has talked him into being his unknowing pawns as well."

The conversation was broken for a moment as the Hollywood Diva threw back her head and laughed suddenly. "I'm sorry, its just, well, I know you haven't had a chance to see it yet but I was allowed into an early screening of George Lucas' Phantom Menace movie, you know the new Star Wars coming out on the nineteenth? Well, I may have gotten him to tell me the future story for the series and to be honest, it looks like the same plot runs through the minds of all mad geniuses," she said with a laugh in her voice.

"Right well, movies and name dropping aside, would you be willing to help us get back at my father," Stephanie asked.

"Well of course, I'm always good when it comes to getting one over on any man," the blonde said with a smile. "I'll even reach out the wrestlers you should have been looking too. Forget about the Union, you have to go to the guys who, like your man Kane here, have been providing the ultimate thorns in your father's side. Your father doesn't want to be seen fighting Austin so we join forces with Austin, he wouldn't dare attack his daughter and the man he's trying to fool. We bring in Austin and the Rock to join forces with Kane and we have the first steps to really getting back at him. We even tell them what is going on. Oh, and of course we'll need to bring in Ryan, the poor girl has been attacked by the Undertaker just as many times as we have been."

"I think that can work," the brunette said with a smile to the older woman. "I'll call her and have her come to Connecticut to meet us while we go over the negotiations with my mom. I, um, well I also want to ask you for some help both business wise and a bit more personal. I'm- I'm out of college now and working on the road as Kane's manager and I really need to get out of the whole frumpy daughter look and go for a more adult appearance, do you think you can help?"

"Oh, don't worry about a thing, baby doll, you just let Sable take care of you," the Women's champion said with a man-eating grin.

* * *

 **Connecticut Thursday 13th 1999**

* * *

If he could have spoken, there was little doubt that Kane would have been swearing under his breath as the amount of people being kept at the McMahon house had over flowed the guest rooms inside and the big man was relegated to the outback guest house. With only two rooms in the two story cottage that meant that Sable and Nicole were sharing a room while Stephanie had moved into one of the upstairs bedrooms and Kane was relegated to the horrible, expensive, soft and velvety floral print couch.

There was no privacy to be had for the lone male in the building except to claim the bathroom beneath the stairs as his own, a lone room of solace away from the hair primping and clothes fittings that had ruled the small structure for the past two days since Sable and Nicole had come over. They were supposed to be joined soon by a fourth girl, Ryan Shamrock who was traveling with her brother, Ken, for safety reasons. If there was one thing the former basement dweller had decided it was drawing the line at sharing the pullout bed with the World's Most Dangerous Man. Nope, no way, not going to happen, and he had made his feelings known with a rather intense letter to the young woman he was guarding.

While he could no longer fold out the couch it was agreed that he would have the soft cushions for his bed while the shorter man would be sleeping on a blow up mattress in front of the door. At least Kane had the fact he wouldn't be sleeping on the floor to soothe him as he sat, cramped up beside the blonde body builder in the back of Stephanie's sedan as she drove them all to the gym for the day. He hated people, he hated small spaces and he absolutely hated being next to people in cramped and small spaces so he was overjoyed when the large rectangular structure of the WWF headquarters came into view and the shorter, but no less impressive, gym that sat behind it.

Kane was the first person out of the car and was already letting the door shut behind him as he heard the quick beeps that meant that Stephanie had locked the door. He didn't waste time beating around the bush and immediately went into the gym proper to begin working out some of the frustrations he was feeling over the last few days. He almost felt sorry for any rookies who were trying to get some practice in the rings because he felt the need to destroy anything in path this morning.

Sable ever the opportunist grabbed the younger heiress by the arm and led her into one of the side offices before shutting and locking the door while Nicole took up her spot guarding the door. "Okay, spill little girl."

"What? What are you talking about," Stephanie asked as she looked around the office with a nervous look in her eyes. "I mean, why pull me in here and question me if you aren't going to be more direct?"

"Fine, what is it with you and Kane," the blonde demanded as she crossed her arms over her impressive bust and cocked out her leg to look at the girl. "I've only been staying with you since Tuesday and while I may not have noticed anything on Monday, I can certainly tell something is going on now. Don't take this the wrong way but I am older than you, wiser than you and I've been playing these sorts of games for a lot longer than you."

"There isn't anything, honestly," Stephanie said even as she turned her face away to hide a blush that threatened to spread across her cheeks. "Kane's a nice guy, he's helping to keep me safe and we happen to spend a lot of time together. I manage him when he goes to the ring and he is helping me get back at my dad for the whole kidnapping thing."

"Oh, well if that's all it is than you wouldn't mind if Nicole stays with you tonight right," Sable asked with faux innocence in her voice. "A man like Kane, all those rippling muscles and just the size of him, well a woman can be easily intrigued to find out just how _big_ a man like him could possibly be, if you get my drift."

"Please don't," Stephanie spoke up quickly her hair whipping around her face as she jerked her head to look at the blonde. "Okay, fine. Maybe I do have a bit of a crush of him but who wouldn't? He saved me without any thought to himself, he listens to me when I talk, though that could just because he doesn't talk, and he is really strong," she finished with a goofy smile on her face.

"Aha, good we got that out of the way, now the only thing is, why haven't you made your move yet," the blonde questioned as she eyed the younger woman up and down. "I know you know Kane's history, there is no way a man like that is going to make the first move. He was isolated, tormented and called a freak for years, Steph. He probably hasn't even toyed with the notion of something happening between you two with his self esteem, you are going to have to make that first move, and a real move at that."

"I've done things," the heiress said defending herself. "I've walked around with a bra, I changed right in front of him on Monday night. Surely he doesn't think I would do that for just anyone."

"Please, that's amateur hour stuff, Stephanie. You want a man like Kane to stand up and take notice then you have to leave the little girl stuff in the past. That's one of the reasons you reached out to me isn't it? You wanted to become more of an adult have a more grown up look, well honey, none of that means anything if you can't walk the walk. You are going to have to take that wall of muscle that is out there probably destroying your father's future investments and drag him up to your room, tear that mask off his face, plant a kiss that will blow him out of his pants and push him on the bed," Sable explained.

"I-I can't do something like that. That's not how I was raised. Actually, if my dad even knew I was toying with the idea of dating one of his wrestlers he'd go completely overboard," she responded.

"That is why I'm here," the blonde said as she moved to put an arm around the younger woman's shoulders. "You want your man, well how about I help make that happen. You and me, we'll go get our hair and nails done and get some shopping in before the pay per view on Sunday and take Nicole with us so Kane can concentrate on his match, he does have a match right," she asked and smiled when Steph nodded. "See, Kane can get ready to face whoever he's more than likely going to destroy and you can sneak him back to the hotel after his match and rock his world."

"You-you really think I could do something like that?"

"Trust me honey, once me and Ryan are done with you, you'll never understand how you thought you could face the world without us."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Woo, No Mercy is coming up next chapter and I personally can't wait. Oh, if you guys want to read another awesome Black Wedding story, I would suggest Into The **Dark** by Debwood-1999. It is an awesome Stephanie/Undertaker story.

Now to answer some reviews.

chyrel24: I honestly couldn't imagine it until roughly the Kane/Lita story. If Stephanie hadn't come forward to say she had masterminded the whole Triple H wedding thing we'd have over a decade and a half of wrestling with that uneasy feeling of thinking that Hunter had raped Stephanie on their wedding night O.o

mmat: The wedding angle will come about and so will Shane buying WCW and Stephanie buying ECW but I don't plan on using the Invasion angle, that is where this story will really separate. Imagine WCW and ECW fusing together to create an alternate brand where wrestlers are free to travel from WWE to what I call EGW, Extreme Global Wrestling.

spanky1988: This story will continue until I feel it has reached its natural conclusion.

D. : Thank you for the review, I hope you found this chapter to your liking as well.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** If you are reading this story, then you might know I'm a big Stephanie fan, Hell I'm an Authority fan, as bad as that may seem to people. If you haven't seen, or heard about what happened at Wrestlemania 2016, then please skip down to the story so I don't ruin what happened tonight for you. Jeeze was Stephanie looking on point in that punk rock gear at the start of the Main Event? Sadly, I could read the story behind the promo and knew what the end result was going to be, but Stephanie was on POINT. The whole thing has given me some ideas I'm going to incorporate into this story eventually but that's a long time coming yet. Also, who else laughed when Roman was almost booed out of the stadium in front of 101,700+ fans when he came out? Uhg, just bring up Finn Balor already and make him the face of the company but Mr. Bulletproof Vest isn't going to make anyone happy.

* * *

 **No Mercy: Sunday May 16th 1999**

* * *

The British weather did not really work to well for the Intercontinental champion as he reviewed the altered card for the Pay Per View show. Originally he had been set to face off against Mideon for the title tonight, his second title defense in two weeks but the plans had obviously changed. His long curly hair hung down around his mask as he laid the paper beside his travel bag. No matter what happened tonight he would be catching a plane immediately after the show to fly back to the United States for the Live Raw show in Florida.

He hadn't seen the four women with whom he had traveled to England since early in the morning. Stephanie, Sable, Nicole and Ryan Shamrock had all gone out shopping that morning from the hotel, with promises to see him at the show. The episode of Heat was winding down as the Pay Per View was ready to begin and he could hear Tiger Ali Singh heading to the curtain for his entrance for his match against the joke that was Gillberg. Why Vince kept the scrawny little bald man who constantly lost was a mystery to big red machine.

Alone in the darkened locker room, he moved until he was just in the light of the television and groaned before he started to stretch and limber up for the match tonight. A four corners elimination match awaited him just before the main event tonight would decide the fate of two titles as he faced off against Mideon, X-pac and the European Champion, Shane McMahon.

Dropping to the floor he began to do pushups as he thought of the Hell he would spread inside the ring with his manager standing at ringside. The sweet, supple girl who he had rescued had become a constant source of inspiration in the past few weeks, even he was training with James or working with the men in the practice rings, including Ken Shamrock on Friday and Saturday morning before they had to get ready for their flight. He found himself gnashing his teeth at the thought of her possibly being hurt, she was his responsibility and he had to protect her no matter what.

Why did he feel so defensive of her? She was never in any real danger since her father was the man who had come up with the whole plan. Was it their mutual hatred of being used or was it something else? The former basement dweller didn't really like to think about things he didn't understand. He was an instrument of destruction, something to be pointed at and let loose. What did it matter to him if the World Wrestling Federation's Princess was in danger or perfectly safe in the the madhouse that was their job.

The sound of the door opening paused the uplift of his body and his head turned to look at the closing blue steel door through his quickly sweat soaking hair. She was here, the woman who had been helping him lift his career in the past few weeks and had garnered him a title reign. Her brown hair appeared thicker in volume and seemed to spill from her scalp in long woven curls that stretched beyond her shoulders. A pair of large silver hoops dangled from her earlobes and just brushed the top of a see through turtle neck with black floral patterns running the length of her skin and its sleeves poof out around her forearms to hang loose around her wrists. Kane could clearly see the black bra that she wore beneath which lifted her impressive breasts to a breathtaking proportion while a black vinyl skirt hugged her thighs and knee high black vinyl go-go boots were practically poured around the bottoms of her legs.

"I-I'm so sorry I'm late," she said as she moved into the room. The Princess of the company was glad it was dark in here so that the barrel chested man could not see the blush that adorned her cheeks from walking through the backstage area dressed so revealingly. "I went shopping with the girls and there was a change of plans for our flights back to America and I had to talk to the airport about changing tickets and find us a hotel room, its been absolute chaos," she admitted.

Her eyes landed on the sheet of printer paper that had the cards on the and she moved to pick it up and make sure everything was still going the way it should have before cursing at the change to the match lineup. "Its fine, we can do this," she breathed heavily as she looked over the match notes. "A four way, elimination style match with the Intercontinental and European championships on the line. This is obviously my father's idea to use Shane and try to teach you a lesson about getting involved in their plans. Two members of the Corporate Ministry with Mideon obviously helping my brother, against you and X-pac. We've got this, we'll just need to think of a strategy."

The seven foot tall figure rose from his place on the ground and smirked behind his mask his eyes lighting up as he looked at her. Confused for a moment, Stephanie followed the big man's gaze until it rested on her clearly visible cleavage. "Oh... OH! That's brilliant, Kane. Shane will be to distracted at seeing his younger sister dressed like this to concentrate and hopefully the other guys will be too. You can run rampant on them while I'm outside the ring distracting them."

She moved to sit, crossing her legs, while he lay on the ground and began to sit-ups near the television and watch the matches go by. "So, Ryan was telling us that you had some new moves that you were trying out with her brother while you practiced together. She said you might have lifted the from a certain failing brand my father is currently putting out of business," she said casually but still lifted her eyebrow all the same. She had only ever heard bad things about WCW but if her ma-client thought he could pull them off, why not change up the routine a bit?

Of course, he didn't answer her but continued to do his sit-ups in silence as he watched three members of the Ministry of Darkness; Viscera, Faarooq and Bradshaw, face off against the recently splintered off Brood; Edge, Christian and Gangrel. He and Stephanie of course knew what was happening as the Undertaker's power over the men 'broke' and they began to splinter and in fight. The Corporate Ministry was being weakened from the inside by its most powerful figure and so far it seemed no one even realized it.

"Mother and I had a meeting with the Board of Directors on Friday while you were training," Stephanie broke the silence between them again. "The papers are signed and ready to pass over controlling share to Steve Austin the second my father reveals himself. Rather than the full fifty percent we were going to give him though, he'll receive only thirty percent of while mom and I keep ten percent apiece." She paused for a second and took a breath as though stilling herself to drop a bombshell. "We also discussed reaching out to Paul Heyman."

Kane stopped moving as his eyes widened to the size of saucers before to look at her in shock.

"ECW is full of men, good men who love this business, some grew up in it like I did," she explained. "Sure, their product is more violent than our own with all the blood and high risk maneuvers, but those men wouldn't do that if they didn't love and believe in what they are doing. The tentative plan is that I will become one of the main financial backers and work with Paul to make a television deal and get the men signed to contracts. ECW will be a part of but separate from WWF while we financially support them, help them find a home and an image that will work on a national level. Paul will still call the shots on the show while I'll stand in the background as a silent partner."

The big red machine was silent for a long moment just staring at the heiress to the World Wrestling Federation as what she said passed through his mind. With a silent nod he turned his attention back to the television as Steve Blackman as Droz began to head to the ring and stood up to start stretching out his limbs again. He could understand where she was coming from but a part of him felt betrayed that she was planning on possibly moving to just a background figure in another company, leaving him alone again.

"I bought your contract," she suddenly admitting to him and watched as he stopped stretching his limbs to look at her. "You don't work for my dad anymore but for me. The World Wrestling Federation now pays us to use you on television and in pay per views. The same will happen if this deal goes through with Extreme Championship, they'll pay us for you appearing on their show. I am your manager and you are my wrestler and we'll take care of each other, that's how these things should work. Shane will inherit WWF from my dad, no matter what we do, he'll eventually get the company back one way or the other. I need to think of my own future, of our future, and this deal with ECW could be our ticket something just as great if not greater than the legacy my family has built."

The door flew open again as the long haired blonde bombshell walked into the shadow filled concrete room. Sable's eyes flew around the room before they landed on Stephanie. She was dressed in a black leather bra that just covered her nipples before it spread like a spider web around her breasts and a pair of black wrestling shorts that appeared to be a size or two to small and black open toed pumps that lifted her nearly four feet at the heels with only a lacy silk robe on her back that hung loose around her body showing off her curves. "Thank God I found you, Steph. My title match has been pushed to next week while tonight Nicole and that crazy bitch, Tori, are having a number one contenders match."

"Well that's a good thing isn't it," Stephanie asked without reacting to the other woman's outfit. Kane could only suppose the two had picked out their clothes that day and she had already seen it. "We were just discussing a plan for Kane's match tonight and you and me at ringside, we can totally get one over on Shane. Do you think that freak Mideon or that short little dweeb X-pac will be able to focus with us there? Their easy targets and there is no way that Shane will beat Kane one on one."

"And with you there, your father will pull back the Corporate Ministry," the blonde said with a grin seeing where Stephanie was coming from. "Just think, we could be Stephanie McMahon, Manager of the Intercontinental Champion and Sable, Manager of the European Champion and all on the same guy," she said with a grin spreading across her apple colored lips. "Oh, we have so got this on lock down girl."

"Lets go out there and show everyone what real Knock Outs are," the brunette said with a grin as she licked her lips in excitement.

The big red machine looked back and forth between the two women before groaning and placing his gloved hand against his forehead. Tonight was going to get messy and he knew it.

* * *

Kane stood in the middle of the ring staring down at his last victim for the night. The dark haired boy was flat on his back, his eyelids flickering as he faced rafters and dreamed of a different world. The masked wrestler looked out over the crowd as they chanted and held their signs in the air. The lights dimmed as he stood over the limp and broken body of Shane Mcmahon and his white and green jersey, two title belts swinging from his hands as fire erupted from the turnbuckles.

His blue eyes flew up to Stephanie who was waiting beside the ramp, a confused mess of emotions on her face as she watched him standing victorious over her brother. Sable was all smiles and was already heading back up the ramp waving to the crowd and stopping only once to lean across the rails to kiss a young preteen boy on the forehead before continuing on. With practiced ease the new EuroIntercontinental champion swung over the rope and made his way to the still confused young woman and patted her on the shoulder.

He swung the belts over his shoulders and proceeded up the ramp but stopped halfway up as Burned filled the air. His head swiveled to the woman who had attracted so much of his attention and watched as she turned away from the ring and began to walk toward him. He smiled behind his mask as he held out his arm to the young woman when she reached him and let her slip her thin arm in the crook of his own before they began to make their way toward the back. Since teaming up with the McMahon heiress his life had been looking up more and more but after all the excitement of the night and having to face three men at once, he just wanted to get back to the hotel room the brunette had booked for him and get some sleep.

The back corridors were a mess as the men and women who had flown to England for the show were racing out to the parking lot in order to catch the earliest flight Florida they could get before the last match could even begin. Already the stagehands were tearing the names from the locker rooms while wrestlers walked by with their luggage. The whole place would be torn down over night and placed in storage in a warehouse somewhere until it was needed again, and Kane knew it would be down to the wire for the three men scheduled to wrestle next to beat the hell out of each other before the show ran out of time and the men tore down the ring.

The trip to the hotel was a silent affair and he couldn't help but notice that despite the fact he had just beaten her brother and gained a second championship that Stephanie wasn't speaking. It wasn't just to him, she had only told the limo driver where they were going but other than that she seemed bizarrely quiet and stared out the window at the passing lights while chewing her nails. Kane was used to silence though, since he was a child he hadn't spoken a word and didn't bother to attempt to break the silence as they arrived at the hotel or made their way upstairs.

"Nicole and Sable have the room to the right," the heiress suddenly broke the silence as she stopped in front of one of the doors on the third floor. "Ryan has the one on the other side of them. This-This is going to be our room." The blush on her face made the much taller man tilt his head to the side and look at her questioningly as she opened the door and let them in.

The room was a spacious one with a television and a bathroom door near the back. A pair of chairs sat around a single wooden table that had food already placed for them, though Kane had never eaten in front of Stephanie before. The problem he could see was that both of their luggage was set up in the corner next to the bed, the only bed, there wasn't even a couch for him to sleep on. It was fine, he would give up the bed but he had so been looking forward to the comfort of a mattress after having such a long and painful match where he had been forced to endure two bronco busters.

He was given pause when he heard the door click shut and the sound of the chain rattling before it was slid into place and he turned in time to watch as the brunette woman slid the deadbolt closed. Suddenly he was rather nervous as his eyes flickered to the bathroom door, half expecting one of her brother's men to burst out of it and try to beat him here and now.

"I spent days agonizing over how to do this," the heiress whispered and stepped closer to him. Her blush had extended past her neck and he could see the red creeping into her cleavage through her shirt. "I had talks with Sable and Ryan about just what I'm supposed to do but I don't think I can act like they told me too. It-It just isn't me and I don't think its what you would like either," she rambled as she closed in on him and he suddenly felt the back of his legs touch the foot of the bed causing him to drop to the plush foam and stare at her.

"You're a good man," she continued as she stepped so close that she was standing between his parted feet looking down into his eyes. "In the ring you are a dominant monster, destroying everything in your path, but here, with me, you are a good man. You saved me when you didn't have too and I somehow dragged you down the rabbit hole into the madhouse that is my family but still you have stayed with me. I-I don't just want to be manager and bodyguard, Kane, I don't want to spend my life staring at your mask and wondering who is the man behind it," her fingers seemed to twitch, pulling his attention as her hands began to rise to his face. "I want to meet the man who saved me from the Undertaker and I want to thank him properly."

He didn't move as she reached up and felt the lines etched into the red and black mask that mimicked the face beneath and could only breath as her fingers danced along the edges to the buckles hidden just beneath his hair. The soft rattle of metal filled the silence of the room as she undid the bindings that had kept his face hidden for so long and soon he felt the cool air of the room touch his skin as she lifted the full mask away from him. He felt naked and ashamed, letting his face fall and his hair hide his features, as he was exposed to another person after so long hiding the monstrosity that he was until he felt her fingers breeze through his hair and touch his cheek softly lifting his face to meet her own.

The skin around his right whited eye was a deep tan stretched thin across the muscle beneath and stood out against the pale healthy flesh that had remained hidden from the sun for years. Old scars littered his cheeks and forehead and were patterned as if they had once been put there by an animals claws and created a patch of pink tissue across the bridge of his nose. A week old beard of stubble sat around his untouched mouth and faded around his jaws and never touched the pink healed flesh of his neck.

He didn't flinch away but merely closed his eyes as her fingers traced the lines that were so visible on his face and for a long moment he wondered what she was thinking, what she was planning to do now that he was so exposed in front of her. His answer came as her lips met his own in a soft peck before she backed away. His eyes opened to look at her but found her own eyes closed as she leaned toward him again, her fingers moving to grip the hair around his ears as she pulled him to meet her and he felt his heart stop and flutter even as his own hands moved to grip her hips.

He found himself quickly laying back on the mattress beneath him as she seemed to want to pin his larger and stronger body beneath hers. Her tongue sought entrance to his mouth and he found himself obliging quickly as his own snaked its way into a battle it had never experienced before. Her hands were moving quickly, pulling the cool blue shirt he had chosen after the match off his frame, tugging his hands away from her body long enough to do so even though they quickly found their way back as one found and began to knead her breast and the other found its way beneath her skirt, his massive hand stretched over her ass to use as leverage to pull her closer to him as though trying to become one being.

His chest, a mess of scars brought on by father's beatings into the burned flesh of his body, heaved as he rolled the Princess over. His eyes meeting with hers before he grabbed the see through shirt she had on by the material bunched up around her neck and ripped it from her body with ease while she squealed. His lips found her neck quickly as he began to kiss and suck on her tender flesh just as he had imagined all those years alone as a teenager. His tongue lathered her skin as he worked his way down to her breasts, touching and kissing her magnificent orbs even as she arched her body closer to his own as she struggled to undo her bra and let him have his way.

They had a week to get to know each other in the most intimate of ways and they weren't going to rush home anytime soon, not while they could have their vacation on her father's dollar.

The two had no idea who had won the WWF Championship match that night, and the following Raw was only a backdrop for the lovers as their bodies became a tangled creation the next night as well made up of beauty and the beast.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, it was said for years that beneath the mask and the leather Kane was burned, a deformed monstrosity. I decided I rather liked that compared to the updated story of just psychological scars they had to use to explain why he wasn't burned when they did take off the mask. So, after the Ministry Storyline, I'll need to switch gears on the characters of Stephanie and Kane to make them Heels, lets face it Stephanie is probably one of the best Heel actresses the WWE has ever seen, and Kane is best as an engine of destruction.


End file.
